Our Fitness Blog

3 Cardio Myths Debunked

You can feel as if you have really accomplished a great workout after walking on the treadmill, pedaling away on a stationary bike or hopping on an elliptical for an hour. However, are you really getting all you can out of your workout by using these machines? I know that most of us like to rely on cardio to achieve our weight loss goals. It is one of the best ways to burn calories and shed those excess pounds. Cardio can get your heart pumping and your dress size shrinking if you do it right. There are a lot of cardio myths out there that many of us take for truths. The things that we swear by may be causing us harm and slowing our results. Here are three cardio myths that many of us have fallen victim to.

Cardio is the fastest way to lose weight and burn fat. Most of us know that cardio burns a lot of calories, and we need to burn those excess calories to lose those extra inches. However, did you ever stop to think what kind of weight you are burning? If it was just fat, then you would be doing a lot of good. However, cardio burns fat and muscle. This means that you could lose muscle mass unless you incorporate some type of strength training into your routine. You can build muscle, burn fat and lose weight, especially if you try metabolic weight training or weight training done at a high pace. You can use kettlebells and free weights for this.

You can burn more calories by performing on an empty stomach. Many think that if your belly is empty, you will have to use stored fat to fuel your workout, which will cause you to burn more fat. However, your body needs energy to perform your routine, so I would not suggest skipping a meal before your workout. This could also lead to negative effects on your body in the form of losing muscle mass. The best option is to choose a healthy pre-workout snack that will fuel your workout.

Harder is always better. This one is a little more complicated than it seems. You will actually burn a greater percentage of your calories from fat if you stay in the “fat burning zone.” However, you will be exercising at a lower intensity and keeping a lower heart rate, which means you will burn less calories. But, you’ll be saving your muscle! This is key. Keep it lower the majority of the time and you’ll be right on point!

Cardio can be a fun and simple way to reach your weight loss goals. You just need to do your research first in order to ensure that you are making the best choices for your workout routine. Weight loss can be a difficult journey for most of us, and we do not need to make it any more difficult by committing some easily avoidable mistakes. So, if you have any questions about your routine, I would seek out the advice of a professional like a doctor or fitness instructor.